Can I put some neon tetras (or any other fish) in a 5 gal tank with a male betta? What fish might work?

Question

I have a 5 gallon half hexigon shaped acrylic tank that I plan to put a male beta in, but I would also like to add other fish in it if possible. I was thinking about getting three neon tetras. Would that work? Any reccomendation about what fish might be compatible for this size tank appreiciated. Also are there any small water plants that are easy to maintain that might do well?

Answer 1

Yes, you can add neon tetras (or cardinal tetras for that matter). Neon tetras will school nicely and they are extremely passive in that they will never attack other fish (nipping, biting, etc) unless they are fries. The thing about neon tetras are that they are more sensitive to water/tank conditions than other fish, meaning that they will usually die off within a week or so if your tank is fairly new, unplanted, and not well established. A 5 gallon tank would have to be well kept and established to keep neons. I would advise against white clouds because they will nip at other fish when they form a school. A few of them (1-3 would be okay).

Other fish species to be considered: Fancy guppies, honey/fire dwarf gouramis, blue tetras, Endler's liverbearers, cobra Endler's, etc. You can also add small catfish and plecos. Small catfish that I would recommend are the Aneus catfish and Julii catfish. A bushynose pleco would be safe as well.

Plants that are relatively easy to take care of are Java moss and Java ferns, Anubias plants, twisted valisnerias, and banana plants. Plants are great for improving water quality and adding a more natural look to your tank.

I would recommend upgrading your tank if you wish to have a community tank.

Answer 2

Neons usually prefer at least a 10 gallon because they like to school. They like planted tanks with soft water. They need heat.

Bettas usually do well without heaters. I've got my Betta male in a 3 gal. with a small Palm filter from AZoo on the back. I had White Clouds for years in a 10 gal. with a Betta.
Currently I have a Ghost Shrimp and 2 Algae Eating Shrimp as well as a Gold Mystery snail in the 3 gal. tank. I have a light on a timer over the tank also. I enjoy watching my shrimp and I enjoy the snail more than I thought I would. He's quite fast and all over the tank. The Betta is peaceful and I have a decorative bridge for the shrimp to hide under when they molt.

My old Betta in the 10 gal. did get super aggressive with some baby Catfish I had in there. Surprised me. He killed them off. Even when I made sure I fed him well.

Hexagon tanks, tall tanks in general don't have the air surface for the same amount of fish as a regular 5 gal. IMHO. I think a Betta would be fine, not sure about the Neons.

I had live plants. I got fungus on my Betta's fins. I reduced the plants, still problems. Took all the live plants out and the fungus cleared up and has not returned.....I love live plants so it was frustrating. Gonna go buy some nice silk plants that look real. Cheap plastic plants can tear a Betta's fins.

Answer 3

You could keep a few neon tetras, but it is problematical in that size of a tank as neons like to school and you have to get enough to let them school or they get cranky and aggressive and may nip at the betta's fins. You'll need to get at least 5 and that will be pushing at the limits of your tank, which will mean you'll have to keep to a high maintenance schedule. You'd better have a filter and do at least weekly 20% water changes. Other possibilities you might want to consider would be an apple snail or ghost shrimp. These would get along ok with your betta and are interesting to watch and don't need to come in the numbers that neons do for schooling purposes. If your tank is one of those hexagonal ones that are rather tall and narrow, a dwarf frog might work, too. They tend to keep to the bottom and would leave the top part to the betta. Just make sure you get a dwarf frog and not a clawed frog!

For plants in a tank that small I'd suggest java moss, anacharis, watersprite and duckweed. The anacharis can be either planted or allowed to float, but I'd leave the watersprite floating or it will be likely to get too big.

Answer 4

I agree with Soop- you can use five neons and if your room temp is in the upper 70's then you can get away without a heater. But, bettas like temps of 76-80 that means year round even in the winter. Wal mart sells small heaters that should work for your five gallon tank. They also sell these bulbs in the fish section that turn into plants. They are low light plants and i have one in with my betta in a two gallon tank. They grow quite well in there. You just put them in the water and in a couple days they start sprouting. They are only a couple dollars for several bulbs and they are hanging on a peg in the fish section. Neons would make a great addition to your five gallon and would really go well with the betta. Good luck

Tina

Answer 5

Keep the male Betta, and instead, add 5 Neons. They stay small, have small fins, don't dart incessantly, and will not go after the Betta's fins. Your only other real options are White Cloud Minnows. If you have a heater, you can have either, but without a heater, stick to the White Clouds. Start with Java Moss, Java Fern, Dwarf Hairgrass, and Hornwort if you can find it. Email me if you have any questions.

Soop Nazi

Answer 6

If you wanted neons, getting at least 4 or 5 would be a good idea; they thrive in schools. You don't really need to worry about waste with these guys, but you do need to worry about swimming room, and I do think 5 gallons may be a little cramped for them.

You want to avoid long-finned, colourful fish, like male guppies or serpae tetras, as well as nippy or aggressive fish, like barbs or gouramis (which wouldn't fit in such a small tank anyway.) White Cloud Mountain Minnows, corys and otos are a good idea as well.

As for plants: bettas do really well with java moss and java ferns. Very low-light plants that require little care and last very long. Anubias and swords too. Water sprite and hornwort also do quite well, but grow very quickly. Their fast growth ensures that they use up extra nitrates before algae can, so they are useful in this aspect as long as you do some clipping now and then.

Answer 7

Probably. Tetras prefer larger schools, so at least 4, preferably 6 would be better. A kuhli loach would be okay, or a cory catfish. Or a bristlenose pleco. They stay fairly small.
Java fern would be ideal.

Answer 8

Now why did you have to ask that question...there goes my money and weekend setting up an aquarium. I would recommend a sucker fish, I don't know the real species name; but they suck the algae off the surfaces of the tank. To answer your question, Betas are a pain in the !!! Like anything else elaborate, they are high maintenance. Mollies and Neons are great for me.

Answer 9

most fish will work the betta may charge at the neon, but wont d oanyt damage, most fish will work, ( dont put in fish that are bigger than the betta its self)



-DFK

Answer 10

****NOOOOOOO******** Betta's do NOT like company... They MUST be kept alone.. Male bettas will shred any other betta (male OR female) you add to the set-up. Bettas are not human. They think, act and react differently. By trying to give him a "friend" you are only pissing him off and he will attack, sooner or later, the intruder and kill it. Now, don't get me wrong, bettas like to see other fish, so what I do is I make sure they have "neighbors" in an adjacent tank, or I place a mirror near by to give the betta a little "action" every now and then. Or else they might really get bored and even get depressed. They like to have their space and their tank to themselves... It is NOT a good idea to put him with ANYTHING. I put mine in a 10 gallon with a huge kissing gourami, he even tried to go after it!! and it was bigger than him, he also attacked a little bitty algae cory cat i put in there....

Here is a GOOD site i RECCOMMEND reading about Betta's it is VERY informative and so helpful!!! Do check it out please... for Mr. Betta's sake...

http://www.bettatalk.com